Rotary printing press register clutch



R. E. LINDEMANN ROTARY PRINTING PRESS REGISTER CLUTCH 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 5 QOBERT E. LINDEMANN BY %4,4M MW ATTORNEY Dec. 19, 1967 Filed Jan. 18, 1965 Dec. 19, 1967 R. E. LINDEMANN 3,358,595

ROTARY PRINTING PRESS REGISTER CLUTCH 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 18, 1965 N N mM m Q M M Mm E A r id B Y O B DH Dec. 19, 1967 R. E. LINDEMANN 3,353,595

ROTARY PRINTING PRESS REGISTER CLUTCH Filed Jan. 18, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 \NVENTOR ROBERT E. L/NDEMANN v WM/M ATTORNEY FIG. 3

Dec. 19, 1957 R, E. LINDEMANN 3,358,595

ROTARY PRINTING PRESS REGISTER CLUTCH Filed Jan. 18, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR FIG 9 ROBERT E. L/NDEMANN ATTORN EY Unitcd States Patent 3,358,595 ROTARY PRINTING PRESS REGISTER CLUTCH Robert E. Lindemann, Medina, Ohio, assignor to Harris- Intertype Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 426,142 18 Claims. (Cl. 101-183) ing the material being printed between the printing units of the press.

Known printing presses having a plurality of printing units and a chain transfer between the printing units have :1 common drive for the printing units in which a clutch mechanism is located for breaking or disconnecting the common drive so that each of the units may be operated independently of the other unit. The common drive is drivingly connected to drive a gear for each unit and from which the units are driven. The driv for the chain transfer is from the drive gear for the respective units to chain transfer drive gears and from the chain transfer drive gears through a clutch mechanism to the chain transfer drive shaft. This clutch mechanism is operable to disconnect or break the drive from the chain transfer drive gear to the chain transfer drive shaft. By breaking this drive, the impression cylinder and other cylinders of the printing unit may b driven without driving the chain transfer drive shaft. If at the same time, the clutch in the main drive shaft is broken, each unit maybe driven independently of the other by separate drive motors without driving the chain transfer mechanism. This enables makeready of the printing units simultaneously and independently and without destroying the registry of the grippers on the chain transfer with the grippers on the impression cylinders. V

The principal object of the present invention is the pro vision of a new and improved printing press having cooperating parts which should register accurately arid are driven together and a clutch structure in the drive between the parts and which clutch structure is highly reliable in operation, readily manufactured, and constructed so that roblems of backlash, part alignment and wear are minimized.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved printing press having cooper atingparts which should register accurately and are driven together and a clutch structure in the drive between the parts and which is operable toconnect and disconnect the drive therebetween and includes a. register key member movable into slots in drive elements connected with the cooperating parts and which is self-registering in that when moved to its engaged position, it restores the registry which the cooperating parts had when it was disengaged.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved multiple unit printing press having a chain transfer between printing units and having. a clutch structur in a drive to a chain transfer drive shaft associated with each unit and each of which includes a key member movable into a slot in a chain transfer drive gear and a corresponding slot in a drive member drivingly connected with the associated chain transfer drive shaft to effect a driving connection between the gear and shaft and wherein a linkage mechanism is utilized for moving the key into and out of the slots, and which linkage mechanism functions to move the key only and does not function to transmit driving forces from the gear to the chain transfer drive shaft.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved multiple unit printing press having a chain transfer between printing units of the 3 ,358,595 Patented Dec; 19, 1967 press and having a clutch structure in the drive to the chain transfer drive shaft and which includes a driving member drivingly connected to the drive shaft and having a slot therein and a key member movable into the slot and into a corresponding slot in a chain transfer drive gear, and wherein the key member floats and is operable to effect registry of the slots in the gear and drive member if these slots are not exactly aligned.

Yet a further object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved printing press, as noted in the next preceding object, wherein if the slots in the drive gear and drive member are misaligned, the key is moved by a camming action due to engagement of a surface of the key with a surface defining the slot in the gear member and, when moved by this camming action, tends to rotate the drive member so that the slot therein aligns with the slot in the driving gear and the key properly seatsin the slots therein.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new and an improved multiple unit printing press having a chain transfer between the units of the press and having a lutch structure in the drive to the chain transfer of each unit and which includes a key member movable into slots in adriving gear and a drive member in order to establish the drive to the drive shaft of the chain transfer and movable out-of the slots in order to break the drive to the drive shaft of the chain transfer, and wherein a linkage mechanism is provided for moving the key into and out of the 'slots only and which is adjustable to compensate for wear of the key and for any manufacturing inaccuracies in the key and slot.

Further objects and advantages of the present inven-- FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of apart I or the printing press shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an axial sectional view of the portion of the printing press shown in FIG..3, taken approximately along the section line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 4, taken approximately along the section-line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 4, looking at the mechanism of FIG. 4 as indicated by the line 66;-

FIG: 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 4, taken :approximatelyalong the section line 77 of FIG. 4; and v FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 are schematic views illustrating different operative positions of parts of the mechanism shown in FIG. 4.

Asreprcsenting a. preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 illustrates a mulitple unit printing press 10. The multiple unit printing press 10 includes two printing units 11 and 12 of substantially identical con-"- struction. The printing unit 11 includes a plate cylinder 13, a blanket cylinder 14, and an impression cylinder 15, Shcctlike material, such as paper sheets. to be printed in the printing press 10 are fed'down a feedboard 16 and are engaged by a suitable gripper mechanism on the impression cylinder 15 and carried into the nip between the blanket cylinder 14 and the impression cylinder 15. The

sheets are then transferred to a chain transfer mechanism, generally designated 17, which transfers the sheets from the printing unit 11 to the printing unit 12. The sheets are picked up by the gripper mechanism on an impression cylinder 18 of the printing unit 12 and carried by the impression cylinder 18 into the nip defined by the impression cylinder 18 and a blanket cylinder 19 of the printing unit 12. The printing unit 12 also includes a plate cylinder 20 which runs in engagement with the blanket cylinder 19. The sheets, after being printed in the printing unit 12, may be transferred to a further printing unit or to a pile support, in a well-known manner.

The printing units 11, 12 are driven by a common drive means which includes a clutch 26. The clutch 26 is operable to break the drive between the shafts 25a and 25b of the common drive and when the clutch 26 is disengaged, it should be apparent that the units 12 and 11 may be driven independently of each other.

The printing unit 11 is driven from the shaft 25a which is drivingly connected to the printing unit 11 and is driven by a motor 30. The shaft 25a carries a bevel pinion gear 31, as shown in FIG. 1. The bevel pinion gear 31 meshes with a bevel pinion gear 32 carried on a shaft 33 having a bevel pinion gear 34 on the end thereof opposite the end on which the bevel pinion gear 32 is located. The bevel pinion gear 34 meshes with a bevel pinion gear 35 carried on a stub shaft 36 having a bevel pinion gear 37 mounted on the end thereof opposite the end on which the bevel pinion gear 35 is mounted. The bevel pinion gear 37 meshes with a bevel pinion gear 38 carried on a shaft 39 which carries the impression cylinder 15. Also mounted on the shaft 39 is a printing unit drive gear 40 which is drivingly connected with drive gears, not shown, for the blanket and plate cylinders 14 and 13, respectively, in order to drivingly connect all of the cylinders of the unit 11.

I The drive, as illustrated in FIG. 1, for the printing unit 12 includes a drive motor which drives the shaft 25b.'The shaft 25b carries a bevel pinion gear 46 which meshes with a bevel pinion gear 47 carried on a shaft 48. The shaft 48 on the end thereof opposite the end on which the bevel pinion gear 47 is mounted carries a bevel pinion gear 49 which meshes with a bevel pinion gear 50 carried on a stub shaft 51 which has a bevel pinion gear 52 mounted on the end thereof opposite the end on which the gear 50 is mounted. The bevel pinion I gear 52 meshes with a bevel pinion gear 53 carried on the shaft 54 on which the'impression cylinder 18 is mounted. A printing unit drive gear 55 is drivingly connected to the shaft 54 and meshes with gearing, not shown, for rotating the cylinders 19 and 20 of the printing press in timed relation with the impression cylinder.

The chain transfer mechanism 17 which transfers the sheets from the printing unit 11 to the printing unit 12 includes spaced chain members having a plurality of gripper assemblies 61 supported thereon and which take the sheets from the impression cylinder 15 of the printing unit 11 and deliver the sheets to the impression cylinder 18 of the printing unit 12. The gripper assemblies 61. of course, must be spaced on the chain 60 in order to properly cooperate with the grippers on the impression cylinder 15 and the grippers on the impression cylinder 18. Moreover, the gripper assemblies must register and cooperate accurately with the gripper assemblies on the impression cylinder 15 and the impression cylinder 18 in order to properly effect the transfer of the sheet from one gripper assembly to the other.

The chains 60 of the chain transfer mechanism 17 are trained around transfer cylinders including spaced drive sprockets, not shown, adjacent to the impression cylinders 15, 18 and which drive sprockets are mounted on chain transfer drive shafts 65, 66 which are adjacent to the impression cylinders 15, 18, respectively, of the printing units. The drive shafts 65, 66 are driven from the drive gears 40, 55, respectively, and the drive from the drive gear 40 to the shaft 65 is identical in construction to the drive from the drive gear 55 to the shaft 66 and in view of the similarity in these drives, only the drive between the gear 40 of the printing unit 11 and the drive shaft 65 will be described in detail, and similar reference numerals will be used to designate corresponding parts of these drive mechanisms on the drawings.

The drive from the drive gear 40 to the cludes a chain transfer drive gear 70, see FIG. 4, which meshes with the drive gear 40 and rotates therewith. The gear 70 has a hub portion 71 which is rotatably supported by the chain transfer drive shaft 65. The gear 70 also has an outer hollow sleeve portion 71a in the internal diameter of which is a drive slot 73. The drive slot 73, as best shown in FIG. 8, is of a converging crosssectional dimension as it extends radially outwardly of the gear 70 and is defined by a pairof converging surfaces 74 and 75.

The gear 70 may be drivingly connected to the shaft 65 to drive the shaft 65 by means of an antibacklash clutch mechanism 80. The clutch mechanism includes a driving register key 81 which is movable into the slot 73 in the drive gear 70 and into a corresponding slot 83 in a drive spider member 82 which is drivingly connected to the shaft 65 to effect rotation thereof upon rotation of the member 82, as will be described in detail hereinbelow. The slot 83 in the drive member 82 into which the key member is movable is of the same'configuration as the slot 73 in the gear 70 and is defined by a pair of surfaces 84 and 85 which converge as they extend outwardly from the shaft 65, as best shown in FIG. 8. In manufacturing the slots 73, 83 may be machined while the gear 70 and drive spider member 82 are secured together to insure uniformity thereof. The key member 81 has an outer portion of a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape and is defined by converging surface portions 88 and 89 which converge at approximately the same angle as the surfaces 84 and 85 and 74 and 75, respectively, so that the key when moved into the slots 73 and 83, when aligned, will have a wedging engagement therein and effect a drive between the gear 70 and the drive spider member 82 without lost motion therebetween.

The drive spider member 82 which is driven from the gear 70 by the key 81 includes a hub portion 90 and opposite projecting portions 91 and 92. The portion 91 projects upwardly, as shown in the drawings, and has an opening 93 therein into which the key member 81 extends and the slot 83 is provided in the uppermost part of the portion 91 of the spider member. The lower projecting portion of the spider member 92 has an opening therein and carries 'a pair of adjustable screw members 101 and 102 which extend into the opening and which have cooperating nuts 103 and 104, respectively, for securing the screws 101 and 102 in a particular position relative to the spider portion 92.

The ends of the screw members 101 and 102 which extend into the opening 100 cooperate with a lug portion 105 of a sleeve member 106 and which projects therefrom. The sleeve member 106 encircles the drive shaft 65 and is keyed thereto by means of a key 107, and extends axially of the shaft 65 between the hub portion 90 of the spider member 82 and the shaft 65 and, likewise, has, a portion which extends between a bearing for the gear 70 and the shaft 65. A suitable stop member 109 is'securely fastened on the end of the shaft 65 and engages the ends of the sleeve member 106 and hub portion 90 of the drive spider 82 and holds them on the shaft 65. The sleeve 106 is tightly clamped onto the shaft 65 by means of a clamping arrangement including a fastening means 110, shown in FIG. 4. The lug portion 105 of the sleeve 106 carries suitable wear buttons 111 and 112 which are engaged by the screw members 101 and 102.

shaft 65 in- From the above description, it should be apparent that the gear 70 may be connected to drive the shaft 65 upon engagement of the clutch mechanism 80. Engagement of the clutch mechanism is efiected by moving the key member 81 into the aligned slots 73 and 83 in the gear member 70 and the spider drive member 82, respectively. The spider drive member then rotates with the gear 70 and the rotation thereof is transmitted through the screw members 101 or 102 to the lug portion 105 of the sleeve member 106 and from the sleeve member 106 through key 107 to the shaft 65. Of course, when the key member 81 is moved out of the slots 73, 83 in the gear 70 and spider drive member 82, respectively, the gear 70 is free to rotate relative to its bearing without effecting any rotation of the drive shaft 65. Moreover, it should be apparent that the screws 101, 102 may be moved relative to the spider member 92 and when moved, etfect movement of the lug portion 105 and, in turn, rotation of the shaft 65 of the chain transfer. In thi manner, the gripper assemblies on the chain 68 may be adjusted relative to the gripper assemblies on the impression cylinder 15, as should be readily apparent.

The key member 81 is moved into its driving position, shown in FIG. 4, and from its driving position by means of a manually actuated linkage mechanism 120. The key 81 may be said to be a floating key and is supported on a pin member 121 and is slidable axially along the pin member 121. The pin member 121 extends between lug portions 122, 123 of a link member 124 and which are pivotal relative thereto. The link member 124 straddles the shaft 65 and forms a part of the linkage 120. The lug portions 122, 123 are spaced a distance apart, as best shown in FIG. 8, which is greater than the dimension of the key member 81 which is located on the pin member 121 and between the lug members 122, 123. This permits the key member 81 to slide on the pin member 121 relative to the lug members 122, 123, for a purpose to be described hereinbelow.

The link member 124 straddles, as noted hereinabove, the shaft 65 and has portions 125 and 126 extending downwardly from the lug members, as shown in FIG. 3, and which terminate on diametrically opposite sides of the shaft member 65. The ends of the portions 125, 126 of the link member 124 are pivotally connected by means of pins 127, 128, respectively, to arm portions 129, 13%) of a link member 131 which is similar to the link member 124 and straddles the shaft 65. As best shown in FIG. 4, the lower portion of the link member 131 is pivotally connected to a pin member 135 which is carried by a block member 136. Specifically, the lower portion of the link member 131 has a pair of spaced projecting lug portions 137, 138, see FIG. 3, which support the pin member 135 and between which the block member 136 is located.

The block member 136 is clamped to the portion 92 of the drive spider member 82 by means of a pair of fastening screws 140 which extend through openings 141, respectively, into the block 136. There is a substantial clearance between the walls of the openings and the stems of the screws 140 and the screws thus may be moved vertically in the openings for adjustment purposes. Of course, when the screws 140 are moved vertically in the openings 141, the block 136 is moved vertically and for this purpose, an adjusting screw 145 and nut 146 is provided. The screw 145 extends so as to engage the lower surface of the block 136, as viewed in FIG. 4. When the screws 140 are loosened, the nut 146 may be turned to eifect upward movement of the block 136. The upward movement thereof is guided by the lug members 137, 138. This upward movement, of course, moves the pivot pin 135 upwardly and, in turn, causes an upward movement of the pin 121 on which the key 81 is mounted. This causes the key 81 to move upwardly relative to the slots 73, 83, and by this adjustment the position of the key 81 after actuation of the linkage may be varied so that wear of the key 81 and slots 73, 83 and inaccuracies in manufacturing thereof can be compensated for.

The pins 127, 128 which provide a pivot connection between the arms 125, 129 of the links 124, 131 and the arms 126, of the links 124, 131, respectively, also extend through one end of links 150, 151, respectively, which links also form a portion of the linkage 120. The links 150, 151 extend axially of the shaft 65 on diametrically opposite portions thereof and on the outside of the spider drive member 82. The links 150, 151 are of identical lengths and are pivotally connected at their ends opposite the ends pivotally connected to the links 131, 124 to a boss portion 155 of a sleeve member 156 which encircles the hub portion 90 of the drive spider member 82. The ends of the links 150, 151 are connected to the boss portions 155 by pivot pin members 157, best shown in FIG. 2.

The sleeve member 156 which encircles the hub portion 90 of the drive spider 82 is splined to the hub portion 90 by a suitable key 160, see FIG. 4, which causes rotation of the sleeve member 156 with the spider drive member 82, but yet permits axial sliding movement of the sleeve 156 relative to the spider member 82. The sleeve member 156 is slidable axially on the hub portion 90 of the drive spider 82 from the full-line position shown in FIG. 4 to the dot-dash position shown in FIG. 4. It should be apparent, of course, that upon movement between these positions, the links 150, 151 will likewise be moved and, when so moved, the links will cause lowering and raising movements of the key member 81. The lowering and raising movements of the key member 81 are guided by means of a pin 158 which is supported in the opening 93 of the spider drive member and which is engaged in a recess 159 in the one vertical face of the key member 81. The pin member 158 not only guides the vertical movement of the key 81 upon actuation of the linkage 120, as described hereinabove, but also blocks the key 81 from tilting or tipping and thereby provides for a solid wedging engagement of the key member in the slots 73, 83.

The linkage mechanism 120 when in its position shown in full lines in FIG. 4 with the key 81 in the slots 73, 83, is in such a position that the links of the linkage act as a spring and hold the key member 81 in its raised position. In the position shown in full lines in FIG. 4, the pivot pins 127, 128 are located beyond a line connecting the center of the pivot pins 121, 135. The pins 127, 128 thus move beyond the center of the toggle mechanism upon actuation thereof to eifect movement of the key 81 into the slots 73, 83, as noted hereinabove, and the toggle linkage is, in a sense, self-locked so that the key member 81 is maintained in driving engagement in the slots in the gear 70 and driving member 82.

As noted hereinabove, the sleeve 156 when moved between the position shown in dot-dash and full lines in FIG. 4 effects engagement and disengagement of the key 81 in the slots to engage and disengage the drive from the gear 40 to the chain transfer drive shaft 65. The sleeve 156 includes a portion defining an outer circumferentially extending groove which extends completely around the sleeve 156. A pair of rollers 166 and 167 are supported in the groove and are rotatably supported on the ends of arm portions 170, 171 of a lever 172, the base portion 173 of which is fixed on a shaft member 174 which is rotatably supported in spaced portions of the frame of the press. The shaft member 174 carries on one end thereof a handle member 175 which includes a manually grippable handle portion 176 which may be gripped by the operator. Upon turning of the handle 175, the shaft 174 is rotated and the arm portions 170, 171 are moved so that the rollers 166 and 167 move axially of the shaft 65 causing axial movement of the sleeve member 156 which, in turn, causes axial movement of the links 150, 151 and causes movement of the key member 81, as described hereinabove.

From the above description, it should be readily apparent that upon disengagement of the clutch 26 in the main drive shaft and disengagement of the keys 81 in the drive from the drive gears 40, 55, respectively, to the shafts 65, 66, the units 11 and 12 may be operated independently of each other by means of the motors 3t}, 45 and without any drive connection to the chain transfer mechanism 17. This facilitates make-ready of the units 11, 12 due to the fact that each unit can be operated independently of the other and at the same time. Moreover, it should be clear that all the rotational force for driving the drive shaft 65 is transmitted through the'key 81 and drive member 82 and not through the linkage 120 for moving the key into and out of driving position.

When the chain transfer shafts 55, 66 are disconnected from the gears 40, 55, respectively, it is desirable to hold the gripper assemblies thereof in the position they have when the keys 81 are moved from slots 73, 83. Each clutch mechanism 80 thus is provided with a lug member 177 which moves into locking cooperative engagement with the frame of the printing press when the key member 81 is moved out of driving engagement with its associated gear 78 and driving spider member 82 and functions to lock the chains 60 to the frame of the press and prevent movement thereof. The frame of the press includes a ring portion 178 which encircles each of the sleeve members 156. The ring portions 178 each have a slot 179 located therein which receives a lug member 177, if properly aligned therewith when the key member 81 is disengaged. The lug member 177 of each clutch mechanism is carried by a link member 130 which is pivotally connected by a pin 181 to the spider drive member 82. The link member 180 includes arm portions which extend toward the key 81 and on opposite sides of the key and through which the pin member 121 extends. The link 180 acts to determine the path of movement of the pin 121. When the pin member 121 is moved vertically downwardly, as viewed in FIG. 4, the lug member 177 pivots upwardly, as shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 4, about the pivot pin 181, and if the lug member 177 is aligned with the slot 179, it moves into the slot 175?. Thus, when the key member 81 is disengaged, the lug member 177 is located in the slot 179 and thus locks the spider drive member 82 from rotary movement relative to the frame and since the spider drive member 82 is drivingly connected to the shaft 65, the shaft 65 is locked against movement relative to the frame and thus rotation thereof cannot occur. This will maintain the gripper assemblies on the chains 60 in their registered positions in which they are located when the clutch is disengaged, and in which position they are located in FIG. 1.

From the above description, it should be apparent that the slot 179 must be aligned with the lug 177 and that the slots 83 and 73 must be aligned when the clutch is to be engaged, In order to effect this alignment, the gear 40 has an arrow marker 196, see FIG. 1, and the frame adjacent thereto has an arrow marker 191 thereon, which when aligned indicate that the lug 177 is aligned with the slot 179 and that the slots 73, 83 are also aligned. Similar markers are utilized in connection with the gear 55. The markers 190, 191, of course, are difiicult to align with great accuracy and suitable clearance is provided between the slot 179 and the lug 177 in order to facilitate movement of the lug 177 into the slot 179, even though they are not exactly aligned.

Moreover, even though the slots 83, 73 in the driving spider member 82 and gear member 70 are not exactly aligned, the floating register key member 81 effects alignment thereof upon movement into its driving position in the slots and, of course, restores the registry between the grippers on the chain transfer and impression cylinders. This operation will be clear when viewing FIGS. 8-10 and from the description hereinbelow. As shown in FIG. 8, the slots 73 and 83 are not aligned and the groove or slot 73 in the gear member 70 is offset to the left from the slot 83 in the spider drive member 82. The key member 81 when moved vertically engages one surface defining the slots and, as viewed in FIG. 8, will engage the surface 75 defining the slot 73 in the gear member 70. This causes the key member to be slid axially along the pin 121 and causes the key 81 to engage the surface 75 on the gear member and the surface 84 on the driving spider member 82, as shown in FIG. 9. Further vertical movement causes the spider member 82 to be moved or cammed due to the vertical movement of the key 81 into exact alignment with the slot in the gear member 70, as shown in FIG. 10. The construction of these parts is such that the lug member 177 has sufficient clearance with the walls defining the slot 179 so that the spider member 82 is able to move relative to the gear member due to movement of the key 81, and is not held therefrom by the lug 177. Of course, movement of the spider member by this camming action, causes the spider member and the pin 121 carried thereby to be moved relative to the key 81 and thus when the key in the slots is in driving engagement with the slots 73, 83, the parts will be in the position shown in FIG. 10.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in considerable detail hereinabove and it should be apparent that certain modifications, changes, and adaptations may be made therein by those skilled in the art to which it relates from the detailed description thereinabove, and it is intended to cover all such modifications, changes, and adaptations therein which fall within the scope of the appended claims. 7

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A printing press comprising a pair of printing units; each of said printing units including an impression cylinder having gripper means thereon for advancing sheetlike material through its printing unit; a chain transfer mechanism having gripper means for receiving the material from the gripper means on the impression cylinder of one unit and for transferring the material to the gripper means on the impression cylinder of the other printing unit; common drive means for said printing units including a clutch means for disconnecting the printing units from each other so that each of said printing units may be driven independently of the other; a drive for said chain transfer mechanism from at least one of said printing units and including a printing unit drive gear driven from said common drive means, a chain transfer drive gear driven from said printing unit drive gear, a drive shaft for driving said chain transfer mechanism, a drive member drivingly connected with said drive shaft to effect rotation thereof upon rotation of said drive member, said drive member and said chain transfer drive gear each having a driving slot therein which slots have an aligned position, a driving key member movable into said slots and providing a drive connection between said drive member and said chain transfer drive gear and movable from said slots to break the drive connection therebetween; and means separate from said drive member for moving said key into and from said slots whereby all the rotational force for driving said chain transfer drive shaft is transmitted through said driving key member and said drive member.

2. A printing press comprising a frame; a pair of printing units supported in the frame; each of said printing units including an impression cylinder having gripper means thereon for advancing sheetlike material through its printing unit; a chain transfer mechanism having gripper means for receving the material from the gripper means on the impression cylinder of one unit and for transferring the material to the gripper means on the impression cylinder of the other printing unit; common drive means for said printing units including a clutch means for disconnecting the printing units from each other so that each of said printing units may be driven independently of the other; a separate drive for said chain transfer mechanism from each of said printing units; each of said 9 separate chain transfer drives including a printing unit drive gear for a different one of the printing nuts and driven from said common drive means, -a chain transfer drive gear driven from said printing unit drive gear, a drive shaft for driving said chain transfer mechanism and supported adjacent a different one of said printing units, a drive member drivingly connected with said drive shaft to effect rotation thereof upon rotation of said drive member, said drive member and said chain transfer drive gear each having a driving slot therein which slots have an aligned position, a driving key member movable into said slots and providing a drive connection between said drive member and said chain transfer drive gear and movable from said slots to break the drive connection therebetween; and means connected with the driving key member in each of said drives and separate from the drive member associated with the driving key member for moving said key into and from said slots whereby all the rotational force for driving the chain transfer drive shafts is transmitted through the driving key members and the drive members.

3. A printing press comprising a frame; a pair of printing units supported in the frame; each of said printing units including an impression cylinder having gripper means thereon for advancing sheetlike material through its printing unit; a chain transfer mechanism having gripper means for receiving the material from the gripper means on the impression cylinder of one unit and for transferring the material to the gripper means on the impression cylinder of the other printing unit; common drive means for said printing units including a clutch means for disconnecting the printing units from each other so that each of said printing units may be driven independently of the other; a separate drive for said chain transfer mechanism from each of said printing units; each of said separate chain transfer drives including a printing unit drive gear for a different one of the printing units and driven from said common drive means, a chain transfer drive gear driven from said printing unit drive gear, a drive shaft for driving said chain transfer mechanism and supported adjacent a different one of said printing units, a drive member drivingly connected with said drive shaft to effect rotation thereof upon rotation of said drive member, said drive member and said chain transfer drive gear each having a driving slot therein which slots have an aligned position, a driving key member movable into said slots and providing a drive connection between said drive member and said chain transfer drive gear and movable from said slots to break the drive connection therebetween; means connected with the driving key member in each of said drives and separate from the drive member associated with the driving key member for moving said key into and from said slots whereby all the rotational force for driving the chain transfer drive shafts is transmitted'through the driving key members and the drive members; and means for locking each drive member from rotation relative to said frame and thereby locking said chain transfer mechanism from movement when said driving key member is located out of said slots.

4. A printing press as defined in claim 3 wherein the key members located in said drives are supported for movement relative to the chain transfer drive gear and drive member transverse to the axis of rotation of said drive shafts and cooperate with the drive member and chain transfer drive gear to effect alignment of the slots therein in response to movement of the key member toward its driving position.

5. A printing press as defined in claim 3 wherein the key members located in said drives are supported for movement relative to the chain transfer drive gear and drive member transverse to the axis of rotation of said drive shafts and have surfaces engageable with surfaces defining said slots in said chain transfer drive gear and drive member and which surfaces have a camming cooperation and efiect axial shifting of said key member due to the camming cooperation of said surfaces when the slots are not exactly aligned and cause engagement of the surfaces of the key member with the surface defining a slot in the drive gear and a surface defining a slot in the drive member when nonaligned and provide as a result of further movement of the key member into the slots axial rotation of the associated drive member to align the slot in the drive member with the slot in the associated chain transfer drive gear.

6. A printing press as defined in claim 3 wherein the means for moving the key member into the slots includes a toggle linkage mechanism having a first link pivotally connected to the key member and a second link pivotally connected to the drive member, means pivotally connecting the ends of the first and second links opposite the ends connected to the key and drive members, respectively, and an actuating link connected to the first and second links at the pivotal connection therebetween and movable to effect actuation of the linkage to effect move ment of the key member into and out of the slots.

7. A printing press as defined in claim 3 wherein the means for moving the key into the slots includes a linkage mechanism having -a link thereof pivotally connected to the key member and a second link thereof pivotally connected with the drive member and wherein the point of the pivotal connection between the second link and the drive member is adjustable to vary the position of the key member after actuation of the linkage mechanism.

8. A printing press comprising a pair of printing units; each of said printing units including an impression cylinder having a gripper means thereon for advancing sheetlike material through its printing unit; a chain transfer mechanism having gripper means for receiving the material from the gripper means on the impression cylinder of one unit and for transferring the material to the gripper means on the impression cylinder of the other printing unit; common drive means for said printing units including a clutch means for disconnecting the printing units from each other so that each of said printing units may be driven independently of the other; a drive for said chain transfer mechanism from at least one of said printing units and including a printing unit drive gear driven from said common drive means, a chain transfer drive gear driven from said printing unit drive gear, a drive shaft for driving said chain transfer mechanism, a drive member drivingly connected with said drive shaft to effect rotation thereof upon rotation of said drive member, said drive member and said chain transfer drive gear each having a driving slot therein which slots have an aligned position, a driving key member movable into said slots and providing a drive connection between said drive member and said chain transfer drive gear and movable from said slots to break the drive connection therebetween; said driving key member having means cooperable with means on said chain transfer drive gear and drive member to effect alignment of the slots in said drive member'and chain transfer gear as said key member moves into the slots when they are slightly misaligned.

9. A printing press as defined in claim 8 wherein said key member is supported on said driving member for shifting movement relative thereto transverse to the axis of rotation of .said drive member and said key member has means cooperating with the driving member and chain transfer gear to effect shifting of said key member in response to movement into said slots when said slots are misaligned and is operable to effect rotation of said drive member when shifted to effect alignment of said slots.

10. A printing press as defined in claim 9 wherein said driving key member has opposite driving surfaces engageable with opposite surfaces defining said slots in said drive member and said chain transfer drive gear and through which the drive is transmitted, said surfaces having a camming cooperative engagement and effect axial shifting movement of said key upon insertion thereof into said slots when said slots are misaligned.

11. A printing press comprising a frame; a pair of printing units supported in the frame; each of said printing units including an impression cylinder having gripper means thereon for advancing sheetlike material through its printing unit; a chain transfer mechanism having gripper means for receiving the material from the gripper means on the impression cylinder of one unit and for transferring the material to the gripper means on the impression cyl'mder of the other printing unit; common drive means for said printing units including a clutch means for disconnecting the printing units from each other so that each of said printing units may be driven independently of the other; a separate drive for said chain transfer mechanism from each of said printing units; each of said separate chain transfer drives including a printing unit drive gear for a different one of the printing units and driven from said common drive means, a chain transfer drive gear driven from said printing unit drive gear, a drive shaft for driving said chain transfer mechanism and supported adjacent a different one of said printing units, a drive member drivingly connected with said drive shaft to effect rotation thereof upon rotation of said drive member, said drive member and said chain transfer drive gear each having a driving slot therein which slots have an aligned position; a driving key member movable into said slots and providing a drive connection between said drive member and said chain transfer drive gear and movable from said slots to break the drive connection therebetween; said driving key member being cooperable with said chain transfer drive gear and drive member to effect exact alignment of the slots in said drive member and chain transfer gear as said key member moves into the slots when they are slightly misaligned.

12. In a printing press having first and second rotary cylinders with a driving gear mounted at the end of the first cylinder and rotatable therewith and a driven gear meshing with said driving gear and coaxial with the second cylinder and adapted to be drivingly connected to and disconnected from the second cylinder, the improvement comprising a clutch for drivingly connecting and disconnecting said driven gear and said second cylinder and for aligning said cylinders in predetermined angular position relative to each other and including a drive member fixed to said second cylinder, said drive member and the driven gear having alignable key slots, a driving register key member movable from a first position spaced from said slots wherein said driven gear and said second cylinder are not drivingly connected to a second position wherein said key member extends into said slots to drivingly connect said driven gear and second cylinder, an dmeans'mounted on and rotatable with said second cylinder and operable to selectively effect movement of said driving register key member between said positions.

13. A printing press as defined in claim 12 wherein said key member includes a surface portion engageable with a surface portion of one of said slots during movement thereof toward said second position to align said slots by effecting relative rotation between said driven gear and said second cylinder to align said cylinders in said predetermined angular positions.

14. A printing press as defined in claim 12 wherein said slots in said driven gear and said drive member extend generally parallel to the axis of said second cylinder.

15. A register clutch as defined in claim 14 wherein said surface portion of said key member is augularly disposed relative to thedirection of movement of said key member and said surface portions of said slots are angularly disposed relative to said direction of travel of said key member and with said surface portions of said key member and said slots slidingly engaged'to effect said alignment of said slots.

16. A register clutch for drivingly connecting rota table driving and driven members in a predetermined angular relationship with each other and comprising a register key member carried by one of said driving and driven members for rotation therewith, alignable slots formed in said driving and driven members, and actuating means connected to said one of said driving and driven members for moving said key members from a first position spaced from said slots to a second position wherein said key member extends into said slots to drivingly connect said driving and driven members, said key member including a surface portion engageable with surface portions of said slots during movement thereof toward said second position by said actuating means and operable to exert a force on said surface portions of said slots to effect relative rotation between said driving and driven members to align said slots and move said members into said predetermined angular relationship.

17. A register clutch as defined in claim 16 wherein said slots and said driving and driven members extend generally parallel to the axis of rotation thereof.

18. A printing press comprising a pair of printing units; each of said printing units including an impression cylin der having gripper means thereon for advancing sheetlike material through its printing unit; a chain transfer mechanism having gripper means for receiving the material from the gripper means on the impression cylinder of one unit and for transferring the material to the gripper means on the impression cylinder of the other printing unit, common drive means for said printing units including a clutch means for disconnecting the printing units from each other so that each of said printing units may be driven independently of the other; a drive for said chain transfer mechanism from at least one of said printing units and including a printing unit drive gear driven from said common drive means, a chain transfer drive gear driven from said printing unit drive gear, a drive shaft for driving said chain transfer mechanism, a drive member drivingly connected with said drive shaft to effect rotation thereof upon rotation of said drive member, and means for drivingly connecting said drive member and said chain transfer drive gear in a predetermined angular relationship with each other and comprising surfaces formed on said drive member and said chain transfer drive gear, a member movable from a first position spaced from said surfaces wherein said drive member and said chain transfer drive gear are disconnected and to a second position wherein .said member engages said surfaces. to drivinglyconnect said drive member and said chain transfer drive gear, and actuating means for selectively moving said member between said positions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,161,393 11/1915 Lepley 192 1,592,666 7/1926 Lee 192-71 3,221,651 12/1965 Tagliasacchi 101-183 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

,WILLIAM F. MCCARTHY, Examiner.

J. R. FISHER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PRINTING PRESS COMPRISING A PAIR OF PRINTING UNITS; EACH OF SAID PRINTING UNITS INCLUDING AN IMPRESSION CYLINDER HAVING GRIPPER MEANS THEREON FOR ADVANCING SHEETLIKE MATERIAL THROUGH ITS PRINTING UNIT; A CHAIN TRANSFER MECHANISM HAVING GRIPPER MEANS FOR RECEIVING THE MATERIAL FROM THE GRIPPER MEANS ON THE IMPRESSION CYLINDER OF ONE UNIT AND FOR TRANSFERRING THE MATERIAL TO THE GRIPPER MEANS ON THE IMPRESSION CYLINDER OF THE OTHER PRINTING UNIT; COMMON DRIVE MEANS FOR SAID PRINTING UNITS INCLUDING A CLUTCH MEANS FOR DISCONNECTING THE PRINTING UNITS FROM EACH OTHER SO THAT EACH OF SAID PRINTING UNITS MAY BE DRIVEN INDEPENDENTLY OF THE OTHER; A DRIVE FOR SAID CHAIN TRANSFER MECHANISM FROM AT LEAST ONE OF SAID PRINTING UNITS AND INCLUDING A PRINTING UNIT DRIVE GEAR DRIVEN FROM SAID COMMON DRIVE MEANS, A CHAIN TRANSFER DRIVE GEAR DRIVEN FROM SAID PRINTING UNIT DRIVE GEAR, A DRIVE SHAFT FOR DRIVING SAID CHAIN TRANSFER MECHANISM, A DRIVE MEMBER DRIVINGLY CONNECTED WITH SAID DRIVE SHAFT TO EFFECT ROTATION THEREOF UPON ROTATION OF SAID DRIVE MEMBER, SAID DRIVE MEMBER AND SAID CHAIN TRANSFER DRIVE GEAR EACH HAVING A DRIVING SLOT THEREIN WHICH SLOTS HAVE AN ALIGNED POSITION, A DRIVING KEY MEMBER MOVABLE INTO SAID SLOTS AND PROVIDING A DRIVE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID DRIVE MEMBER AND SAID CHAIN TRANSFER DRIVE GEAR AND MOVABLE FROM SAID SLOTS TO BREAK THE DRIVE CONNECTION THEREBETWEEN; AND MEANS SEPARATE FROM SAID DRIVE MEMBER FOR MOVING SAID KEY INTO AND FROM SAID SLOTS WHEREBY ALL THE ROTATIONAL FORCE FOR DRIVING SAID CHAIN TRANSFER DRIVE SHAFT IS TRANSMITTED THROUGH SAID DRIVING KEY MEMBER AND SAID DRIVE MEMBER. 